Our Ask An Expert series features real questions answered by Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, also known as Charity Clairity. Today’s question comes from a nonprofit employee who wants to know the best way to thank monthly donors:
Dear Charity Clairity,
For sustaining donors (monthly), I send a quarterly thank you. Is that sufficient? Do you have a better idea?
— Balancing Priorities
Dear Balancing Priorities,
Let us begin with something I truly believe: You can never thank donors too much.
Yes, it’s work. But the effort is well worth the investment. Because donors who feel appreciated give more and more often.
But, wait. You say these folks are already giving more often? True. But… they’re free to stop at any time. They’re also free to make a larger commitment at any time. That’s what you really hope for. Because a $50/month donor ($600/year) can easily become a $60 donor ($720) without batting an eye. If you have 100 donors doing this, you’ll generate an additional $7200. 1,000 donors? $72,000. That’s so much easier than trying to get one or two major donors to give you this sum.
So, yes, it’s work to thank a little bit more often. Yet it’s one of the most surefire ways I know to increase donor lifetime value.
Why not reframe your approach from “chore” to “opportunity?” Researcher Penelope Burk has worked over two decades in assessing what donors want, and a prompt, personal, outcome-focused thank you is at the top of the list. In a Burk Donor Survey, 40% of respondents said they had received at least one thank-you letter in recent memory they would describe as exceptional. Its “warm, personal tone making the letter feel like it was written just for me” was cited most often.
If your modus operandi is calculating how little you can get away with when it comes to donor acknowledgements, you’re missing the boat. You’ll still have the original pledge, but you’re unlikely to get an upgrade or legacy commitment.
On top of that, your donors just won’t feel as good as they could. And isn’t part of the social benefit sector’s mission to spread joy – thereby making our world, and the people in it, just a little bit happier? As the “Father” of modern fundraising, Hank Rosso, is famous for saying:
“Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving.”
Let’s talk a bit about simple ways to leverage the thank-you process to inspire greater happiness and loyalty.
There is a HUGE difference between thank you’s that fulfill the requirement of acknowledging gifts and thank you’s that inspire donor love and devotion. Don’t forget: monthly donors are some of your best bets for legacy gifts. So, keeping them committed and identified with your cause is tremendously important.
People respond to compliments; in fact, they crave them. “You are amazing.” “You made this happen.” Flattery is a gift. When you help people feel appreciated and loved, you help them attain the highest goal to which most people aspire in their search for meaning.
A picture, indeed, is worth 1,000 words. Close-ups with captions work wonders. Here are two examples from Vida Joven, which sends something brief (it doesn’t need to take even an hour of your time) every month:
Put this together with the wonderful qualities the donor possesses (e.g., vision, insight, caring, understanding, generosity, compassion, remembrance). “Jimmy will go to bed with a full tummy tonight – because you cared.” “You remembered – because Gloria couldn’t.”
It’s critical your donor perceives they are being thanked. Don’t add in an ask. Don’t go on and on with your organization’s case for support – which can make your communication sound like another pitch. Keep it simple. Heartfelt. Pure gratitude.
“Sincerely” is a bit formal and does nothing to build a relationship. A thank you letter is a place to gush a little. Instead, try something heartfelt or mission related: “In gratitude,;” “Warmly,;” “With appreciation and admiration,;” “For the love of theater,;” “In celebration of you,;” “From the bottom of my heart,” etc. Here’s another Vida Joven example:
For those who give a gift that’s above your average, it’s worth acknowledging this special commitment with an “above average” thank you. After all, you probably thank donors of $1,000 differently than donors who give $100 or less, right? A $100/month ($1,200/year) donor should be treated similarly. Pick up the phone! [ Grab my free “Donor Thank You Calls E-Book + Script.”] Leave a pure gratitude voicemail if you don’t reach them. Send a personalized thank-you text or video. And make sure, when sending a newsletter or connecting in person, you offer opportunities for donors to get involved in other ways than just giving. Make them feel valued as people, not just wallets, and they’ll value you as well.
One of the least acknowledged benefits of monthly giving programs, from the donor perspective, is that giving more frequently in smaller amounts can give your donor a recurring pleasure high.
This is a great argument for a monthly giving program as a way to offer donors greater rewards. Lean into it! Think of “recurring gifts” as a two-way street. They keep giving AND you keep giving.
They’re doing it monthly. Maybe you should too?
Hope this seems like a balanced approach,
— Charity Clairity (Please use a pseudonym if you prefer to be anonymous when you submit your own question, like “Balancing Priorities” did.)
How often does your organization thank monthly donors? Let us know in the comments.
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